1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of power electronics. It proceeds from a method and a device for turning a GTO on and off in accordance with the preambles of the independent claims.
2. Discussion of Background
A method and a device of the generic type are disclosed in European Patent Application EP 0 489 945 A1. A description is given of the so-called hard driving of a turn-off thyristor, in which, by contrast with conventional driving, a higher and very much steeper current is applied to the gate to turn off GTO. Moreover, means are provided for generating a turn-on current. Said means generate a current for turning the GTO on, and a holding current for maintaining the turned-on state. The means comprise in each case capacitors in which the required energy is stored and drawn as required with the aid of switches.
A spatial arrangement for a driving unit of the generic type has, furthermore, been disclosed in the German Patent Application with the file number 197 08 873.2, which was not published before the priority date of the present application. This is because arrangements designed to have very low inductance are required to implement hard driving. For this purpose, it is proposed, in the patent application not published before the priority date of the present application, to arrange the components in the immediate vicinity of the GTO.
In very general terms, however, it would be desirable to have a driving circuit which manages with as little outlay as possible in terms of circuitry and energy in order to permit the design of a compact power converter.